Tag Archives: ginger

Today’s post spotlights FIVE common foods that are actually nutritional superstars. These foods are probably sitting in your kitchen right now, just waiting for you to use them to your benefit!

1. Ginger

Ginger is a hard, pale brown root that can be found in any produce section. It is very cheap & packs a potent flavor. In addition to being proven as a godsend when it comes to morning sickness[1], ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Studies have shown that eating ginger before and after an intense workout can ease muscle soreness by up to 25%.[2] But wait, it only gets better. Ginger has been found to increase the thermic effect of food- in other words, ginger has the ability to increase your natural metabolism, which means you will burn calories at a higher rate & the food you consume will be on a much shorter trip through your body. Some ways to eat ginger are ginger tea, ginger chews, or dicing it & using it in cooking.

2. Garlic

I mentioned garlic in my previous post about testosterone & will mention it again here because it is has such incredible properties. Garlic is one of the most powerful anti-oxidants in nature.[3] In addition, it has been found to lower LDL cholesterol, control weight gain[4], and have anti-diabetic effects[5]. The best way to get plenty of garlic in your diet is to just buy the bulbs at the store & use the cloves in cooking. Here is a really handy video on how to prepare garlic.

3. Grapefruit

Grapefruit is probably well-known by most people as part of the ‘grapefruit diet’ in which you eat a half a grapefruit at every meal & miraculously lose weight. Recent studies show that compounds in grapefruits not only have anti-cancer properties[6], but can indeed help you lose weight. [7] The participants in this study ate half of a grapefruit with every meal & lost an average of 3.5 pounds per month. This study involved both raw grapefruit & grapefruit juice. Be careful to not select the grapefruit juice with added sugar.

4. Eggs

Eggs may be a breakfast staple for most folks just out of habit. The content of the yolk, however, is incredibly rich in important nutrients.

Yolks are nutritionally superior to whites on nearly all measures. They’re especially important as a source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids; they also contain cholesterol and saturated fat, which are in fact critical nutrients despite being demonized by mainstream “experts”: cholesterol helps build new muscle and protects against heart attack, not to mention cancer, while saturated fats enhance the immune system, and protects the liver from alcohol and other toxins, among many other important functions.

Eat your eggs, people! Don’t be scared of the yolk &, if you can, buy organic free-range eggs from hens that are not being tortured in factory farms. Costco sells eggs that are certified humane and organic and tasty.

5. Broccoli

Broccoli is rich in calcium, vitamin C, vitamin K, and lutein. In addition, broccoli is a great source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical that boosts DNA repair and blocks the growth of cancer cells [8]. Stir-fry, steam, or even microwave your broccoli but don’t boil it; boiling the broccoli has been show to damage and inactivate the cancer-fighting compounds.

Add ginger, garlic, grapefruit, eggs, and broccoli to your shopping list this week. Using food as medicine is the best way to maintain overall health and a healthy weight!